Request Record Searches and Copies

To request a search to determine whether a probate estate (an estate for a decedent) has been opened in the District of Columbia, complete a Case Information - Search Request Form, enclose a check or money order for $10.00 payable to "Register of Wills," and mail the form to:

Attention: Probate Clerk's Office
Office of the Register of Wills
Probate Division
515 5th Street, NW
Room 314, Probate Clerk's Office
Washington, DC 20001

Note that the records for decedent's estates are now available via the web through Remote Public Access. The docket information provided by Remote Public Access is the same docket information that is mailed to you by our office in response to a search request. There is no difference, except that when you use Remote Public Access you save $10.00 per search and can obtain the information without delay.

Copy Request Form

To request copies of documents, please use the following form:

Case Information - Copy Request Form

Requests to Review Files at the Probate Division

Case jackets and wills for:

• open cases; and
• open or closed cases that are no more than ten years old

are kept on site in the Probate Division file room, located at Room 314, 515 5th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001. These jackets and wills are available for inspection from 8:30 to 5:00 Monday through Friday except for holidays.

Requests to Review Files in Storage

Closed cases and jackets and wills for closed cases more than ten years old are sent to storage either at the Suitland Records Center or at the DC Archives.

To retrieve a jacket or will that is in storage, complete section 1 of the Case Information - Archive Case Request Form. Mail the completed form to:
Attention: Probate Systems Office
Probate Division
515 5th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001

When the document has been retrieved from storage, the Probate Division makes a courtesy call to the person who requested the document to tell him or her that it is available for viewing, and generally holds the document at the Probate Division for a minimum of two weeks, before returning it to storage